Crash
by KaptainSarcasm
Summary: It's amazing how one brick from a foundation, one crash, can shatter the entire world that's been built around you. Lots of angst and shojou-ai in here, mainly Haruka/Michiru.
1. It Begins

Author's Notes:  
  
This is a long one, folks. I started it and it just continues to grow. It's becoming a beast. Here's the first installment.   
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, fool. Sailor Moon belongs to whoever is belongs to. I'm not making a profit or anything.  
  
Ready... START!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Hi honey, how was your day?" asked Haruka, looking up from the TV to greet her lover, who was just returning home from practice with the Starlights. A race was playing, but knowing how her Michiru felt was a thousand times more important than any old race. The spring in her step and the grin across her face answered the blonde's question immediately. Sitting down to snuggle up against the taller girl, Michiru sighed out her answer.  
  
"Oh, it was wonderful! Yaten told me that there's a new music store opening up in the next town over, and he wants me to go there and talk to the owner. I might get paid to play their violins in concert! Can you imagine?" Her eyes were dreamy, and Haruka couldn't help but smile lovingly at her. "Me, a sponsor! All I have to do is play excellent quality violins at charity concerts and they pay me. It's a win-win situation, as they say."  
  
Still smiling, Haruka pressed her lips against the top of her girlfriend's head. "Well, that is generally how sponsoring goes. They sponsor you if you're good at something, and if you're good at it, you like it." She thought for a minute. "I think my first sponsor at the track was the Crown Arcade, actually. When I was still doing lightweight cycle racing."  
  
Memories overtook Michiru, and she smiled placidly. "Yes, back when we were still looking for the Talismans."  
  
They sat quietly, the aqua-haired girl leaning her head on her lover's shoulder and the blonde thinking about the choices she'd made in her life. She had given up any dreams of being a race car driver, along with any hope to get to know any other people her own age. She was no longer allowed to go anywhere she wanted without permission from the Princess, Usagi, and she had to be ready to sacrifice her life for the sake of her Princess, and the world, at the drop of a hat. In return, she had gotten a number of very close friends, a best friend in the form of a certain Time Guardian, a beautiful daughter whom she was incredibly proud of, a very pretty and cute Princess to serve for eternity, and, of course, the very reason for her heart to beat: Michiru herself.  
  
Yes, it had definitely been worth it.  
  
Burying her nose in aqua hair, she whispered, "I love you so much, Michiru."  
  
Smooth, slender arms moved around her shoulders as the shorter girl lifted herself up, facing Michiru, their noses touching. A warm expression crossed her face, the corners of her soft lips turned up in a sexy smile. "I love you, too, Haruka," she replied.  
  
They shared a soft kiss, slow and loving. The blonde's hand caressed the other girl's soft cheek, pushing back her hair and then tangling into it. Eventually they pulled away, smiling at each other. A thought struck the young racecar driver then, and she moved her arms around Michiru's waist in order to look at her properly.  
  
"When do you have to be at the new store tomorrow?" she inquired. The other girl thought for a second before replying.  
  
"Three o'clock. That reminds me, can I borrow your car? I need the back seat room. I promise not to--"  
  
"Yeah, sure. You can use it," interrupted Haruka.  
  
Silence fell between them, and Michiru's jaw fell open slightly. Then she reached out and felt her lover's forehead. "Are you feeling okay?" she asked cautiously. The other girl laughed, very amused. "Alright, who are you and what have you done with my Haruka?"  
  
"Michiru, I trust you. My car is important, but not so important that I won't let you use it. I know you won't do anything to it," she explained, and the aqua-haired girl hugged her quite suddenly.   
  
"Thank you, 'Ruka-chan!" she giggled.  
  
"Hey, no problem. Just be careful. I want the car back in one piece."  
  
They laughed at that, feeling playful and flirty. And seeing as how Setsuna had taken Hotaru to the beach for the weekend, they were quite inclined to feel as such. For the next couple of hours, all they thought about was each other.  
  
~~~  
  
The following day, Haruka kissed Michiru goodbye before the violinist had to leave. She was leaving an hour before the allotted time for her arrival, in order to leave time for getting lost and such. After she got back, probably around five o'clock, they would go see a movie, then come back to the apartment for a romantic dinner. Haruka was cooking. Michiru was very excited. Contrary to belief among the other Senshi, Haruka was actually quite a good cook.  
  
Even for someone who almost never drove, Michiru could tell that the car drove like a dream. A tap on the gas pedal brought her up to forty miles per hour, and a light pressure on the brake stopped her at a traffic light. The sun beat down on her as she sat waiting for the green light, so she opened up the top and placed her sunglasses on her nose. A car full of boys pulled up next to her, and seeing the girl smiling slightly to herself, they started to cat call and whistle at her. She looked over and her smile widened, before pulling a rather Haruka-esque move and blowing them a kiss. The light switched to green and the engine purred happily as she sped off. The boys took a moment to notice why she had left, and when they did, they laughed and commented on the girl. "Did you see that car? A vintage Ferrari. She's got class!"  
  
Another boy whistled in agreement. "She must be loaded!"  
  
They laughed as they drove in a separate direction as the girl, one boy commenting on how he would miss her.  
  
Michiru put on her turn signal and entered the highway, immediately switching to the middle lane. She drove unobstructed for a while before a truck loomed a bit ahead of her. Not really wanting to be stuck behind a smelly truck in a convertible, she switched to the left lane and increased her speed, hitting 70 MPH. The fastest she herself had ever driven was 80, but she had been in a car with Haruka and had looked over to see her partner driving 120.  
  
She had almost passed the truck fully when it swerved into her, apparently not noticing that the smaller, faster car already occupied the left lane. The force of the huge metal death machine forced her car into the concrete barrier with a sickeningly loud crunch and a flash of light as the front caught fire.  
  
Pain. She felt pain all over. A warm, sticky liquid began to run down her cheek and she knew immediately that she had to get away from the car, and find something to stop the bleeding. As luck (if it could be called that) would have it, Setsuna had put some towels in the back seat by mistake when packing for the beach and forgotten about them. Reaching back with her unbroken arm, her right, she grabbed two and pressed them against the top of her head. Then, with difficulty, dislodged her legs from between the crushed wheel and the chair, dragging herself from the flaming car. As the flames spread, she knew that it would not ever be drivable again. Then the blackness overtook her and she lost consciousness, lying along the shoulder of the highway, broken and bleeding. The truck driver had swerved fiercely to the right when he realized he had hit her, smashing headlong into the small forest on the right side of the road. He had died on impact.  
  
~~~  
  
Mamoru and the inner Senshi, minus Ami, were hanging out at his apartment when the phone rang. Laughing at the antics of his bubbly girlfriend, he rushed to pick it up in his bedroom where it would be quieter. "Moshi moshi?" he said as he picked it up.  
  
"Mamoru-san?" asked a slightly shaky voice.  
  
His eyes widened. "Haruka-san?"  
  
When he reentered the room, he placed a hand lightly on Usagi's shoulder and leaned down to whisper something in her ear. She dropped her glass of water on the carpet. When everyone turned to look at her, her eyes were watering. Carefully, with the dignified air of the Princess that they knew she was, she stood and looked at them. "Mamo-chan and I have to go drive Haruka-san to the hospital. Michiru-san's been in an accident."  
  
Not waiting to see their reactions, she turned and went to put on her shoes as Mamoru held the door open for her.  
  
~~~  
  
"Not another one," groaned Ami, as the doors to the E.R. burst open, a bunch of hospital workers running a stretcher to the operation room. Regardless of the fact that her shift was over in a half an hour, Ami and her mother, who now worked as doctors in the same hospital, rushed over to help. But upon seeing the patient, the sea-green hair and pale skin, the young, blue-haired girl gasped and placed a hand over her mouth. "M-michiru-san?!" she breathed, feeling suddenly very sick to her stomach.  
  
Catching her daughter's surprised and scared noise, the older Mizuno woman demanded, "What happened here?"  
  
"Car accident, a bad one at that. She'd probably be a goner if she hadn't had the sense to stop the bleeding from her head with a towel," explained one of the runners.  
  
They crashed through the swinging doors to the operation room, transferring the patient to a table. Ami decided to take charge, and her mother watched with pride as she worked and asked questions. "Has anyone been called to tell them what happened?" she inquired, putting on gloves and speaking mainly of Haruka.  
  
"The police called the owner of the car. She's on her way, I think," came the answer.  
  
Ami nodded firmly. "Was anyone else involved?"  
  
"A truck driver, but he died on sight."  
  
As the intensity and seriousness of the situation hit Ami, she had to stop talking to concentrate, else her own tears blur her vision. 


	2. Shatter

Author's Notes:  
  
Part two! Hoo-hah!  
  
Disclaimer: I. Don't. Even. Own. Socks.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The only sign that Haruka gave off that she was even worried at all was the shaking of her hands as she opened the door to Mamoru's car and climbed in. Thankfully, Mamoru and Usagi didn't say anything to her on the way there, though, because she knew that the more time went by, the more her voice box was being turned into a pile of mush. She spent the ride trying to focus on the words that she would inevitably have to say to the receptionist. By the time they arrived, she had them all planned out in her head.  
  
"Who are you here to--" started the young girl behind the counter.  
  
"Kaioh Michiru," answered Haruka.  
  
"Okay, she's in surgery in the E.R. right now, if you want to head over--"  
  
This time, a different voice interrupted her. Mamoru, Usagi and Haruka all turned to see Ami running towards them, eyes watering. She immediately approached the tall blonde. Looking up into her eyes, she answered the unasked question. "It looks bad, Haruka-san. She has a broken arm and a large gash on her head. She's also... She slipped into a coma. We don't know if..." she trailed off, dropping her gaze.  
  
Pieces of Haruka's composure began to crumble. Suddenly, she felt a mixture between anger and some other crippling feeling that made it hard to breath. "Where is she?" she choked out, trying not to sound frantic.  
  
"Being put into a room on the second floor intensive care unit. Come with me, I'll take you there."  
  
Surprising herself with her ability to walk, Haruka followed the young doctor upstairs, accompanied by Usagi and Mamoru, who quietly trailed along. Knowing that she was worried about her friend and soldier, Mamoru slid his arm around his fiancée's shoulder, who smiled sadly up at him in thanks.   
  
The first look at someone after something like this was always the worst, Ami decided. It's when you first see them, unconscious in a bed with IVs in their arms and bandages and in Michiru's case, the cast on her arm, that made your knees grow weak and the tears rush out from your eyes. Of course, Ami had already seen Michiru, but when she saw Usagi sob and bury herself into her Mamo-chan's shoulder, who, by the way, was clearly fighting off the urge to look away, she herself lost it. Ami sank to the ground, leaning against the wall and watching the tall sailor of Uranus.  
  
All the girl did, though, was pull up a chair a sit down by her girlfriend's bedside, reaching out to hold her hand. It was her right hand, the one not obstructed by a cast but hooked up to an IV. Green eyes became dark and cloudy, and Haruka spoke, sounding a million miles away. "How long will she sleep?"  
  
"There's no way to know," Ami practically whispered, her voice failing. "She could wake up tomorrow, or a month from now, or..."  
  
Usagi sobbed loudly.   
  
Haruka closed her eyes, gripping her lover's hand tighter. "I see," she whispered.  
  
~~~  
  
When the other Senshi got to the hospital, Ami stopped working and stayed in the waiting room with them. Makoto had immediately taken her into her arms when they saw each other, and Ami had finally allowed herself to cry, gripping her girlfriend tightly. Minako and Rei sat down in the chairs, choosing a secluded corner for the group, laying out a blanket on the floor and setting down some bags holding clothes, food, book and magazines that they may need. It was clear to everyone in the waiting room that the group of girls and one boy intended to stay for as long as it took.  
  
Haruka made a short appearance in the waiting room, but it was clear that she planned on staying in the hospital room. The only reason she had left Michiru was to call Setsuna and Hotaru, telling them what had happened and what was happening. They would be back from the beach by the next day, deciding to leave immediately.  
  
"We'll start packing our things now," informed Setsuna. "Hotaru-chan wants to talk to you, first, though."  
  
"Okay," replied Haruka, leaning against the wall next to the payphone.  
  
"Haruka-papa?" came the teary voice of her fourteen-year-old daughter.  
  
"Hai, Hotaru-chan," soothed Haruka, feeling sadness at her daughter's obvious pain.  
  
A few sniffles later, Hotaru spoke. "Are you going to be okay, Haruka-papa?"  
  
Finally, finally, the blonde's resolve shattered. She forced back a sob and stated, through gritted teeth, "Please don't ask me that, Hotaru-chan."  
  
A plea. That's what it was. Haruka was pleasing with her daughter not to ask her about the state of her own being. And though she tried to hide it, her papa was crying. Fear leaked through her wall of sadness. Her papa never cried. Never.  
  
"I have to go, Hotaru-chan. Be good for your Setsuna-mama, okay?"  
  
And she was speaking to Hotaru as if she was a child. She was trying to hide the truth from her own daughter. As the dial tone filled her ears, silent tears began to run down her cheeks.  
  
Her Michiru-mama was dieing, and no one wanted to face the truth. Shaking her head furiously, she told herself, "No, that's not true. She's isn't dieing."  
  
Then she realized that she was running from it, herself.  
  
After she hung up the phone, Haruka collapsed against the wall and slid to the floor, hugging her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. As she buried her face in her arms, she began to sob full on.  
  
Makoto walked in then, looking to call her work and tell them she wouldn't be in for the next couple of days. But upon seeing the older woman curled up in the fetal position, she gasped and ran over, gathering her into her arms. To her surprise, the older woman immediately returned the embrace, practically crushing Makoto with her strong arms. Just as she did this, Minako, Ami, and Rei walked in, as well, stopping immediately, looking at the sobbing woman with a mix of fear and sadness.  
  
Haruka never cried. Never.  
  
"What if," she sobbed into Makoto's shoulder, "What if she doesn't wake up?"  
  
Minako put a hand to her mouth to stifle a sob.  
  
"What if she dies, Mako-chan? What will I do then?" Still sobbing, she plunged on, "I need her. I need her more than I ever knew I needed her. But now that she's not with me, I feel like I can't breathe. If it's this bad now... Then what if... What if I lose her?"  
  
At this point, Minako had a steady stream of tears going down her face and Rei's arm around her shoulder, and Ami looked as white as a ghost.  
  
"I can't lose her. I don't want to lose her. And what about Hotaru-chan? And Setsuna-chan?"  
  
"Stop, Haruka-san," said Makoto, firmly. Everyone looked at her, surprised. "Michiru-san is not going to die. She'll stay as long as we're all with her. And as long as you are with her. In the stream of fate, Michiru-san's death does not flow. She'll make it through this, just as you will. We can get through this."  
  
Haruka looked away, moving out of the embrace of the younger girl. "It hurts so much, Mako-chan," she confessed, clenching her fist. "It hurts to see her like this."  
  
"It hurts all of us. We all love her. But we'll get through this, just as we have gotten through everything else in the past. We'll live through it together. Trust us, Haruka-san. And rely on us. Don't keep it to yourself. I want you to share yourself with me as more than an Outer to an Inner, as more than an elder to a star-struck underclassman. I want you to share as a friend. I love you both, and Hotaru-chan and Setsuna-san." Makoto looked up at her friends, who were watching warily.   
  
Rei jumped in then, sitting down and taking one of Haruka's hands. "That goes for me too," she said quietly.  
  
"Me too," added Minako, who was controlling her tears. She, too, moved and sat in front of the older woman.  
  
"And me," agreed Ami, moving to sit next to Makoto, who put her arm around her.  
  
Haruka looked at them, all gathered around her. She seemed stunned, then closed her eyes and smiled slightly, wiping her cheeks with her sleeve. "Well, surrounded by pretty ladies like yourselves, how could I not agree to a friendship?" she joked.  
  
Minako was so overjoyed to hear the old, flirtatious tone in the tomboy's voice again that she threw herself into Haruka's arms, hugging her around the neck. Ami hid her giggle behind a hand, and Makoto let a tear slip down her cheek, which was quickly wiped off by Haruka.  
  
"Thank you so much, Mako-chan," she said, almost sadly.  
  
"You don't have to thank me. We're friends, right? That's what friends do." 


	3. Guilt

Author's Notes:  
  
Part 3! Aren't you EXCITED?  
  
Disclaimer: My cat owns DBZ, and he's trying to get Sailor Moon, but it's not really working out.  
  
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Sitting at the shrine later that evening, Ami turned from the group of girls to look at Makoto, who noticed the look and excused them. Rei, Minako, herself and Ami had all gone back to the shrine for the night (after much scolding by the staff of the hospital to get out of the waiting room), and Mamoru, Usagi and Haruka had stayed at the hospital in case something happened. Now Makoto felt her hand being enclosed by Ami's, the shorter girl immediately intertwining their fingers. For whatever reason, Ami was always very affectionate, and tonight was little to no exception. She led them to the outside of the shrine, sitting on the stairs and looking out onto the town. "Mako-chan, what you did for Haruka-san tonight was absolutely splendid," commented Ami, making it clear that this was what she had brought Makoto out to talk about.  
  
"It was nothing, really. I just told her what she needed to hear," explained the taller girl.  
  
Ami tapped her lightly on the nose. "Exactly! You have a real talent with people, Mako-chan. You saw Haruka-san break down and immediately knew what she needed to be told. You looked her directly in the eye and told her we loved her. That was what she needed to hear," she finished.  
  
Blushing lightly, she decided to lighten the serious atmosphere by making somewhat of a joke. She looked Ami in the eye and said, "I love you, Ami." Successfully making the shorter girl blush, she laughed. "See? All I ever do is look people in the eye and say I love them."  
  
The young doctor looked somewhat miffed. "Mako-chan, that's not what I meant and you know it," she scolded.  
  
"I know, but I meant it. I love you very much, Ami." She leaned foreword and kissed her, suddenly sullen again. "If anything happened to you, I don't know what I would do with myself. That's why I knew what Haruka-san needed to hear. It's what I would need to hear. But I don't think it would even comfort me that much. I'm not convinced that the poor girl feels any better after hearing it."  
  
A frown formed on Ami's face. "It's true. She must be in shambles, Mako-chan. In pieces. She's so strong not to show it for as long as she did." A pause, and then, "But foolish, too. She needs to have some of that weight lifted or she'll fall apart."  
  
Makoto smiled sadly at her, then. "But Michiru is the one who usually lifts that weight from her."  
  
Sighing in a mixture of sadness and defeat, the shorter leaned foreword and slumped against her lover, feeling her body give way to weariness.  
  
~~~  
  
"I think we should tell the others," stated Minako bravely as Rei made up a bed in the guest room. She was leaning on the side of the doorframe, arms crossed over her stomach, watching the raven-haired girl work. "It's been almost three months and there's really no need for--"  
  
"I agree."  
  
"--All this secrecy." The blonde's eyes suddenly widened. "What?"  
  
"I agree, Mina-chan. I think they deserve to know. Besides, I feel so sinister about the whole thing. Especially now, when I know you are sad but I can't put my arms around you." Rei finished setting up the bed and walked up to Minako, placing her hands on the blonde's forearms. She could feel the muscles just under the skin. "Ami-chan and Mako-chan will only need one bed, right?"  
  
A laugh sounded from the blonde, and Rei smiled at the sound. It was like music. Like wind rustling the trees. "Probably. Just like us, ne?"  
  
Rei nodded. "Of course. I plan on holding you close tonight, Mina-chan." As Minako smiled at her, Rei moved one of her hands up to touch the other girl's cheek. "Mina-chan, you mean so much to me. You know that?"  
  
"I know," she replied, knowing that the remarks were deeply rooted in sorrow. As she tried not to imagine what it might be like to lose Rei for the umpteenth time that day, she felt another rush of respect for Haruka. "I bet Haruka-san already suspects about us," she chuckled.  
  
Trying to fend off the shadows that threatened to overtake their moods, the miko joked, "Yeah, I bet she knew before we did. Hell, she knew about Ami-chan and Mako-chan."  
  
"What about us?" inquired a voice from down the hall. The two girls jumped away from each other, turning to meet their friends outside the room.  
  
"We were talking about how Haruka-san and Michiru-san knew you two were having a relationship before you told them," laughed Minako. At this point, it seemed foolish to lie about such a thing.   
  
Ami and Makoto, who of course already knew about Rei and Minako but hadn't let on they knew, just blushed lightly at the memory and chuckled. After an awkward silence, Ami yawned loudly and Makoto told her friends firmly that the two of them were going to bed.  
  
"Okay, we'll wake you up to get ready to go to the hospital at six." Visiting hours, Ami had informed them, were 7 A.M. to 9 P.M. But family could stay through the night. Rei was in charge of waking up her friends, since there was no clock in the guest room and Minako had magnets in her fingers that drew her to the "Sleep" button. "Good night, Ami-chan, Mako-chan." Rei nodded at Minako, who waved to her friends and followed the raven-haired girl out of the room.  
  
"They only gave us one bed," observed Makoto, watching Ami. Ami just shrugged and took off her over shirt.  
  
"We would only use one anyway."  
  
Both fell asleep as soon as they were curled up into each other.  
  
Rei and Minako had a bit more difficulty. As soon as they had gotten to Rei's room, Minako had been overcome with grief and started to cry again. Rei, too, started to cry, and the two of them cried each other to sleep.  
  
~~~  
  
Though she tried to hide it, Haruka was still in as bad of a state as she was before. It had progressed to the point that she simply refused to leave Michiru's side, and on two separate occasions Rei had walked into the room to find Haruka running her hands lightly through the sleeping girl's hair. Even after she cleared her throat to announce her presence, Haruka's hand only hesitated a moment before reluctantly pulling away. "Haruka-san..." started Rei.  
  
"Gomen, I just feel like if I don't make an effort to reach out to her... She won't know I'm here." After a second of silence, she laughed weakly. "I must sound so foolish."  
  
Rei shook her head furiously and sat in the chair next to Haruka, placing a hand carefully on the other girl's shoulder. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she made a mental note to comment on the blonde's amazing biceps later. "I'm sure she knows you're here, Haruka-san. She always seems to know when you're around, and vice-versa." The miko searched her mind for an example. "Remember the time when we were having a slumber party at Usagi-chan's house and you knew exactly when Michiru-san was walking up the driveway? I remember she was late because she had practice, and Yaten was driving her to the house, and you were very jealous."  
  
Slowly but surely, Haruka's lips twitched into somewhat of a sad smile. "I wasn't jealous."  
  
The hand on her shoulder moved around to the other shoulder, enclosing the racer in a half-hug. "Haruka-san, I have something to tell you and the other girls, and I thought you should be the first to know. Because I've looked up to you from the moment I met you and thought you were a handsome boy." She stopped talking for a moment to chuckle and gather her courage. After a minute, she took a deep breath and said, carefully, "Minako and I are in love, and we've been dating for the past three months."  
  
"I know. Michiru and I saw you at a club two months ago. We also suspected you would get together long before that."  
  
Rei looked at her in astonishment, then shook her head and let out something between a laugh and a snort. "You two must have radar or something."  
  
"We like to call it 'gay-dar'."  
  
The miko would have laughed if not for the fact that the taller girl's green eyes were focused completely on her sleeping lover as they talked. "Well, listen. Mina-chan and I were going to go pick up some breakfast from the restaurant downstairs. Do you want anything?"  
  
All she recieved in reply was the shake of a head.  
  
"Haruka-san, you have to eat some time," implored Rei.  
  
Shaking her head again, the girl in question said quietly, "I don't think I could swallow anything right now, Rei-chan."  
  
Accepting this answer, Rei nodded, then stood and left the room, saying nothing else.  
  
~~~  
  
Ever since she had woken up from her nap, Usagi had been acting very strangely. She had been acting even more ditzy than usual, actually forgetting to close the car door when she got out after their short outing to a luncheonette. Even at the diner she had acted oddly, deciding not to order anything and just sitting quietly, nursing a cup of black coffee. Just as Mamoru was finishing up his French toast, his little Bunny came clean.  
  
"Queen Serenity visited me while I was sleeping." She watched as her Mamo-chan choked on his breakfast.  
  
"What?!" he gasped.  
  
"She said that no matter how bad it got, I mustn't interfere. That if I got in the way of Fate, certain very important things wouldn't happen." Although she was clearly very sad about what this might imply, she seemed to be taking it quite well.  
  
"Well, what do you think about it, Usako? Do you think it means that Michiru-san...?" He never really finished his question. Usagi sighed softly.  
  
"I dunno, Mamo-chan. She didn't seem particularly sad when we spoke. In fact she seemed almost... amused." The expression on her face dropped, replaced by one of mild anger. "How could she laugh at such a situation? I know I can't feel bitterness towards her, but for some reason I'm still annoyed by it all."  
  
Clearly, his girlfriend had been thinking about this very deeply. He reached across the table and took her hand. "If Queen Serenity thinks that we shouldn't interfere, then we definitely should not interfere," he stated simply.  
  
After a hesitant, regretful pause, the girl sighed, "I know."  
  
Much to Mamoru's joy, her spirits lifted after that, and she ordered an extra-large plate of pancakes.  
  
~~~  
  
Later, in the mid-afternoon, Hotaru and Setsuna arrived, looking absolutely liquid with weariness and worry. They entered the waiting room to lots of hugs from the Senshi. Trying not to intrude, they led the two women to the room where a sleeping Michiru and a distant Haruka waited quietly. The racer turned when her daughter and friend entered, standing to embrace them both warmly. Hotaru broke away to stand by her Michiru-mama, tears running silently down her face. Haruka led Setsuna out of the room to give the young girl some time alone.  
  
"How are you holding up?" asked Setsuna, brushing back the other girl's bangs. Though they did not share the same relationship as Haruka and Michiru, they still felt strong feelings toward each other and treated each other as something of a sisterly relationship.   
  
The lanky blonde let out a breath. "I'm fine now, thanks to the girls. They're so good with words, after a little reassuring from them I'm able to keep myself from falling apart." Capturing the Senshi of Time in another bone-crushing hug, she whispered, "But I suspect I'll be less lonely with you and Hotaru-chan here."  
  
"Oh, Haruka, you know you're never alone. Everyone around you is more than willing to give you support," remarked Setsuna, carefully returning the embrace, letting her head rest on her friend's shoulder.  
  
"Of course I'm hearing that now, but Michiru is my main support, Setsuna. Without her I feel lost, and subtract you from the equation and I'm completely alone."  
  
"...She's my main support too. I guess she's always drawn people to her with her mothering nature." Of course, that was a lie. Setsuna relied heavily on Hotaru for support, the two of them being the oldest Senshi. Sometimes when Setsuna was feeling bad about living on her own, without a lover, Sailor Saturn would make an appearance in the small body of her daughter, and the two of them would share their sorrows with each other during long talks.  
  
But of course, none of the other Senshi knew of any of this.  
  
"I never wanted her to take care of me. I always wanted to protect her. But I failed, Setsuna. I failed miserably. Why did I let her go on her own? I could have just as easily gone and--"  
  
Faster than Haruka could even have imagined her friend could move, Setsuna backed out of the embrace and slapped the racer across the face.  
  
Down the hall at her hiding spot, Ami gasped and clasped her hand over her mouth.  
  
"Don't blame yourself for this, Haruka," admonished Setsuna. "Do you think that Michiru would want you to feel like this was your fault? No! Of course not!" She shook her head, long green hair swishing against her shoulders and back. "You're more of a fool than I can believe, Haruka."  
  
Hotaru stepped out of the room, and Setsuna brushed past her, pausing momentarily to place a hand on the shorter girl's shoulder and look her in the eye. The young girl nodded, then walked out to confront her Haruka-papa while Setsuna visited her friend.  
  
Barely making eye contact with her daughter, Haruka mumbled, "She's got a mean right hook."  
  
"I've got a meaner one, Haruka-papa. If I catch you feeling guilty again, I'll have to demonstrate." She shook her fist in front of her papa's face.  
  
Feeling that this conversation would no longer serve a purpose, Ami walked out from behind the corner and approached the two women. "Haruka-san, the doctors want to see you," she informed her.  
  
"Thanks, Ami-chan." The blond shoved her hands into her pockets and walked off, cheek stinging and head spinning. 


	4. Support

Author's Notes:  
  
Someone order a part 4? Order's up!  
  
Disclaimer: Mmm... Using characters that don't belong to me.... *Drool*  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"What's a peg tube?" asked Minako innocently, cuddling against her girlfriend. They had told the others and were now reveling in the freedom allotted to them. The rest of the group murmured their agreed confusion.  
  
"It's a feeding tube. They open up her stomach a tiny bit and put a tube in that allows the doctors to get nutrition to her without the use of the throat or mouth," explained Setsuna. "What I don't know is what this says about the doctors' future hopes for Michiru's recovery."  
  
Of course, everyone turned to Ami, who cleared her throat and said, "Well, there's not much to really infer from that. They probably think that she'll wake up, but not any time soon. A peg tube operation is a difficult one because you're cutting open a vital organ with a lot of acid involved, so they don't usually do it unless it's very needed or they have hope for the patient, but only in the long-run."  
  
Everyone looked hesitant to speak. Luckily, Haruka and Hotaru weren't there; they were with Michiru but had already heard the news. Finally, Makoto looked at her lover, speaking without reservations. "So they think she'll live?"  
  
"Most likely. But remember, she'll probably be comatose for a while, and we have no control when she's in a coma. It's beyond our reach." The blue-haired girl's voice dropped in volume. "Anything could happen," she finished quietly.  
  
Silence blanketed the room, everyone buried in their own thoughts. Minako was just about to suggest dinner when a loud cry broke through the stillness of the room. "Michiru-chan! Where are you! Michiru-chaaaaaan!!"  
  
The owner of the voice was a middle-aged woman with familiar blue-green hair. She was wearing clothes that made the girls think that she was quite rich, most likely. Following the woman was a tall man with worried greenish blue eyes that darted everywhere, looking for something. Or someone.  
  
Seeing Ami's doctor uniform, the woman hurried over and practically shouted, "Where is my daughter?!" She began to glare, making Ami feel partly annoyed, partly insulted. "Her name is Kaioh Michiru. Where are you hiding her?"  
  
"M'am, please calm down. I'll take you to her," said Ami evenly. She turned to nod at her friends, giving Makoto's hand a quick squeeze before letting it go and walking down the hall. "Right this way, please."  
  
"That's Michiru-san's parents?" asked Minako, astonished.  
  
"What a bitch," muttered Rei. Minako elbowed her in the side.  
  
"Be nice," she scolded.  
  
The hospital room was just as Ami had left it last time, with Haruka holding Michiru's hand lightly and Hotaru sitting on the end of the bed with a faraway look in her eyes. Except both women directed their gaze to the two adults that now rushed into the room. Surprise overtook Haruka's demeanor and she stood immediately to allow the older woman through, bumping against her daughter in the process. Instinctively, she reached out to capture Hotaru in a protective, one-armed hug, pulling her roughly against her side.  
  
"H-hello, Ms. Kaioh, Mr. Kaioh," she stammered out.  
  
Haruka had never exactly been on the best terms with Michiru's parents. In fact, they hated her.  
  
"Don't address me, you dirty girl. This is entirely your fault. I'd bet my life on it," shot back Kaioh Eiko.  
  
"Then you would have to die, because all Haruka ever did was try to protect your daughter!" intervened Setsuna from the doorway.  
  
"Yeah, well, she failed, didn't she?" The old woman's voice was cold and reminded Hotaru of a villain she had seen on Buffy. Even as she thought that, though, her papa's eyes dropped and her gaze avoided the two new people in the room. Immediately, Hotaru shoved her elbow into her papa's side.  
  
Feeling brave, Hotaru stated firmly, "It wasn't Haruka-papa's fault, and if you blame her, I'll have to--"  
  
"Please," croaked out Kaioh Takashi, who hadn't spoken at all yet. "Please, the last thing Michiru-chan would want right now would be fighting. Not amongst her family."  
  
Silence returned, and Eiko took Haruka's seat at Michiru's side and began to sob quietly. Takashi awkwardly tried to pat her on the back, but she swatted his hand away. He shrugged and walked out of the room. Hotaru watched him go with a glare. The comforting weight on her shoulder disappeared when Haruka followed the old man out, brushing past Setsuna.   
  
She caught the old man at the soda machine down the hall. He had just finished putting his change in and was pressing the button. Haruka stood off to the side as he knelt, took his can of soda, opened it with one hand, and took a large swig. "You want anything?" he asked gruffly, waving his hand at the snack machine.  
  
"No," answered the blonde simply.  
  
Takashi regarded her with mild interest. "So," he started at length, "what have you got to say for yourself?"  
  
"I refuse to defend myself while Michiru is in this state. Not even to her parents." Her gaze was even and her expression determined. "I need her, Mr. Kaioh. I'm a part of her life and she's a part of mine, and if you can't accept that, if you can't see that, then I'd say you were a bad parent."  
  
"And who are you to tell me about parenting?" he challenged, but his voice betrayed his true feelings.  
  
"I have a daughter and I love her as much as I love Michiru. Because of that love I have for her, I would never shun her because of--"  
  
"I know," cut in the old man, polishing off his can of soda. "I know, Tenoh. I'm not blind like Eiko in there." Haruka raised an eyebrow. "The woman refuses to see how much Michiru-chan loves you. It's practically tearing our marriage apart." Hesitantly, he placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "I... I support you, Tenoh. I see how happy you make my little girl. Hell, you raised a daughter together. That's something to be said, even if the girl does hate me."  
  
"She doesn't hate you," interrupted Haruka immediately. "She doesn't hate anyone."  
  
He chuckled remorsefully. "Well, she certainly doesn't love me."  
  
"But she would like to, I'm sure. Hotaru-chan's never turned down an offer to get to know someone a little better. Certainly not one from a potential grandparent." Smiling slightly at the old man, she seemed to make something of peace with the guy.   
  
Smiling back, Takashi moved his hand from the woman's shoulder. "We'll have to do something together. You, Michiru-chan, Hotaru-chan and me."  
  
"Indeed, we will."  
  
Neither seemed to think, at that moment, that there was any possibility of that not happening. At that moment, they were never surer that Michiru would recover.  
  
"And you could show me some of those race cars of yours, eh, Tenoh?" the old man prodded.  
  
The smile turned more boyish, and Haruka said, "Oh yeah, I would have done that anyway."  
  
~~~  
  
Michiru's parents left later that day with a handshake from Takashi and a glare from Eiko. By the time all the girls stopped talking about the events of the day, the secretary shooed them out of the waiting room, insisting that visiting hours were over and the waiting room was closing. The only people that didn't go home were Haruka, Hotaru and Setsuna, who spent the night in the hospital room. Hotaru feel asleep early on, curled up on Setsuna's lap on a chair beside the bed. Haruka was settled on the large windowsill, looking down at the city at nighttime, thinking of time spent on the windowsill that overlooked the Tokyo skyline in their old apartment.   
  
*Flashback*  
  
Haruka came home to an empty apartment. Empty indeed. Her luggage wasn't even unpacked yet, and the furniture was yet to be delivered. There was a race on later that the blonde had wanted to watch, but their TV was still in the truck, which was Kami knows where. Michiru, her new roommate and partner in Senshi business, was probably down taking a swim. As the Senshi of the sea, the aqua-haired teen had a knack for swimming. Which was fine by Haruka. She actually enjoyed accompanying her new partner to the pool and just lounging around as Michiru did laps. Sometimes she even kept time. They had great conversations there, too, and Haruka found herself immediately charmed by the other girl's innocent outer shell and flirtatious nature. Growing up, Haruka had always been called a flirt, but Michiru was every bit as rambunctious as herself. Just on a smaller scale.  
  
But that wasn't it. Every time the blonde thought of her new partner, something ached. She didn't want a "partner" out of Michiru. She didn't even want a friend. The selfish side of her wanted to pull the girl into her arms and keep her all to herself. It was more than a silly attraction. This was love. She was sure of it.  
  
And the funny thing was, Haruka knew that Michiru was a lesbian. The topic of conversation had come up one day at the pool. If anything, Michiru had more interest in women than Haruka herself did. She was just less open about it.  
  
"Haruka?" came a quiet voice from the doorway of the bedroom. It had been determined that because their combined salaries could only afford a one-bedroom apartment, they would alternate weeks on the couch.  
  
The blonde, who had been sitting on the windowsill, watching a plane fly over the city and thinking, was startled out of her revere. "Oh? Oh, hey Michiru. I thought you were out swimming," she said half-heartedly. Shifting so that she was sitting on the windowsill as she would on a chair, with her back on the window and feet on the floor, she asked, "What are you up to?"  
  
Settling down next to the taller girl, she smiled a dazzling smile that practically floored Haruka. "Nothing. Just looking around the bedroom. Later you should help me think how we want to arrange the furniture."  
  
"Ok."  
  
The conversation died down for a minute, and Haruka's eyes became distant again. "Are you alright?" asked Michiru cautiously. She knew how cold the blonde could be, and was still rather new at judging her sudden mood swings, but it seemed that Haruka was thinking about something that was troubling her.  
  
"Yeah, I'm alright. I mean, I'm okay. I could be better though." Kind of true, kind of a lie. Very tactful, decided Haruka. She was about to slip into another trance when she felt a warm, soft hand enclose her own.   
  
"Haruka," started Michiru, "in these times, in our life, if there's something that would make you feel better, you should do your best to make sure you get it." 'Fine then,' thought Michiru. 'If she won't say it, I'll draw it out of her.'  
  
"I know that. But certain things, no matter how happy they might make you, have the potential to make you even sadder."  
  
"That wouldn't happen," argued Michiru.  
  
"You don't know that." Green eyes bore desperately into aqua ones. "There's no way to know."  
  
'Plan B,' decided Michiru. Reaching up, she placed one hand on Haruka's shoulder and placed the other gently on the back of her neck. A chill went up and down Haruka's spine, a chill that was amplified when Michiru placed her lips lightly on Haruka's. 'That's it for me,' thought Michiru before all conscious thought left her as the other girl responded with fervor, wrapping strong arms around the aqua-haired girl's waist. Somehow, the taller girl got the shorter girl pressed up against the side of the windowsill. Eventually, they broke apart, both somewhat flushed.  
  
Looking her squarely in the eye, Haruka said, "I love you, Michiru. So much."  
  
A sweet smile graced the other girl's lips. "And I love you, my Haruka." After placing a quick kiss on the other girl's lips, she joked, "This means you're stuck with me, Senshi business or not."  
  
"I should think it's the other way around," replied Haruka, grinning in a very flirtatious manner.  
  
"Good."  
  
*End Flashback*  
  
Closing her eyes against the tears that welled once again in her eyes, the Haruka accepted the temptations of sleep for the first time in four days. 


End file.
